I wrote many times on your blog and your articles in Business Standard...

I wish to convey to you some important factors that are common to all of these projects which you should explore in very fine details...

1. Economy of scales...one needs to order sufficient numbers for the sub-assembly manufacturers to get involved and to improve the sub-assemblies for future upgrades...

2. Sub-assembly manufacturers must explore license to manufacture, co-design and development, outright purchase of technology, etc to get started and then to do indigenous research and development to get leadership positions in those things...

I see same problems in LCA, AMCA, and Arjun tank...If you can't manufacture locally, they all break down and your fighters and tanks will be sitting idle...

On another point...

India badly needs SU-35 and S-400/500 air defense systems to counter present day threats from both fronts...

So India must bargain hard to get full technology for SU-30MKI (Super sukhoi) and Mig-29K in lieu of ordering 3 squadrons of Su-35 and some batteries of S-400/500...

These fighters were developed completely with Indian money and after buying so many of them Russian friends must yield to our request for release of technology...so we can improve them, including engine and AESA radar through joint R&D projects...

FGFA is far away but SU-35 can come in few years to India and it is a formidable fighter bomber and will keep the enemy away...

Best wishes in your writings...and hope that they are very insightful and strategic in nature...

Before you post these articles, which I will really look forward to, I must pen down a a few thoughts as a well wisher.Please please do not make the tone of the article purely a sad pitch on the status of affairs.So what if the Tejas Mk-II is coming much later than anticipated, with consequent monumental costs.There has also been great learning along the way. Sure, could have avoided many costs, had the user been on board right from the beginning, had ADA embarked on a naval version first etc. etc. etc. etc.The important thing is to not abandon plans, not to only paint a bleary picture....and redraw plans and strategies, so that India attains mastery and self sufficiency in aeronautics for sure. Better late than never,

But something tells me that you are already on to this line of thought. Eagerly looking forward sir.

I have been following your articles for sometime and find them very informative. For a defense enthusiast like myself your blog is an ocean of knowledge. I don't know how much this would help our defense forces, but I just had something to share with you. Sir, we have been operating Sea Harriers from INS Virat for a long time. We know how these jets work. Now that we are getting into all sorts of JVs with BAE Systems for eg; Mahindra Defense is getting into JVs with BAE. Why don't we start thinking on lines of developing something like a new Harrier jet for our forces. This new jet can certainly come useful in Close Air Support Roles. We have the knowledge and technical capability from the previous harriers. We can certainly use this to our advantage.